This Hawk Trainer replica has been beautifully reconstructed from surviving components of Miles Magister T9841, which was one of the last batch of 300 Magister I aircraft delivered from Woodley between May 1940 and January 1941. It was first used by No. 16 EFTS and then by No. 11 EFTS before being sold to BOAC for use by their Speedbird flying club in June 1948. Registered as G-AKKY it flew until being withdrawn from use in November 1964. The frame languished for many years during which time the fuselage and centre section was destroyed.

The Martinet was the first British aircraft to be designed specifically for target-towing and this is the only surviving example; It was built in 1943 for the RAF as MS902 and spent its operational life in Iceland at RAF Reykjavik. In 1949, it was sold to the Akureyri Flying Club as TF-SHC. It crashed in 1951 near Kopasker in north-east Iceland but the wreckage remained at the crash site until 1977, when it was recovered and placed in storage by the Icelandic Aviation Historical Society.The aircraft was returned to the UK in 1996 and has been beautifully restored at this super museum.

This is the only surviving example of two built as a special version for the 1965 World Gliding Championships. It has a reduced fuselage height and thinner wing section. It has been fully restored and is on loan to the MoBA from the owners due to a time-expired wing spar.

On 19th September 1949, the prototype Gannet performed its maiden flight from Aldermaston and further testing of the type took place at the Fairey facility at White Waltham. Both these places are in Berkshire and so it is fitting that this old bird is on display at this very friendly and interesting museum. Well worth your support if in the area.

This beautifully retored Herald is on display at the very friendly and interesting Museum of Berkshire Aviation.

In 1953 the Miles brothers decided to design and build a prototype jet trainer which would be much less costly than the Jet Provost, then under consideartion for the RAF. The M.100 Student was built as a private venture and, owing to the limited resources of the company, construction took a considerable time. As with many Miles designs the Student included a number of unusual features for its time, but it was May 1957 before it flew and too late to be a contender for the RAF contract. The frame has carried the previous registration G-APLK and RAF test serial XS941.

This very interesting piece of aviation history is a conversion of Gyrodyne G-AJJP and first flew, in its new configuration, at White Waltham (EGLM) in January 1954. It was initially allocated the serial XD759, but this was later changed to XJ389 due to duplication.

First flew as G-APWA in 1959. Leased to Jersey Airlines in 1961, BEA in 1962, Autair then Royal Malaysian Air Force in 1963 and SADIA as PP-ASV in 1964. Back to G-APWA in 1965. Leased to British Midland then to SADIA as PP-SDM in 1966. Renamed to Transbrasil in 1972. To British Air Ferries as G-APWA in 1976. Withdrawn from use at Southend in 1982. To the Museum of Berkshire Aviation for preservation in 1993. Restored using parts from other Heralds.

Last operated by British Air Ferries until withdrawn from use in Feb 1982 and stored at Southend. Loaned to The Herald Society for restoration and preservation in July 1991, and the aircraft was trucked in sections to this then newly-formed museum between August and October 1992. Assembly was completed in Mar 1994, and it was later painted in the BEA colours seen here, even though it only briefly carried these colours for a few months in 1962. The Herald was officially unveiled as such in a ceremony on 16 April 1997.

Partly hiding in the shadows of the trees was this very nice 1957-built Gannet, with its distinctive pair of contra-rotating props. It was struck off charge in June 1970, and arrived at the museum on 24 March 1996, after many years of storage and preservation at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton and at the Wales Aircraft Museum at Cardiff. It is hard to see in this photo, but this aircraft still carries "BY" on the fin.

This Herald was last operated by British Air Ferries until withdrawn from use in Feb 1982 and stored at Southend. In July 1991 it was loaned to The Herald Society for restoration and preservation, and the aircraft was trucked in sections to the then newly-formed museum between August and October 1992. Assembly was completed in Mar 1994, and it was later painted in the BEA colours seen here, even though it only briefly carried these colours for a few months in 1962. The Herald was officially unveiled as such in a ceremony on 16 April 1997.

Beautifully restored by the Herald Society and Museum of Berkshire Aviation, but very difficult to photograph due to the close fence - this shot, taken just before completion of red painting on top of wings, needed a tall ladder and a battle with some dense undergrowth full of brambles